Tremolo device



Sept. 16, 1969 H. G. COLE 3,466,962

TREMOLO DEVICE Filed March 28, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 26 usuuumg J J l IN VENTOR Harry 6. Cole BY gf qwm ATTORNEY Sept. 16, 1969 H. e. COLE3,466,962

TREMOLO DEVICE Filed March 28, 1967 INVENT OR Harry 6. Cole BY K g ad/2%ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,466,962 TREMOLO DEVICE Harry G. Cole,10515 Metropolitan Ave., Kensington, Md. 20795 Filed Mar. 28, 1967, Ser.No. 626,499

Int. Cl. Gd 3/14 US. Cl. 84--312 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThe present invention relates to a tremolo device having handle or leverthat is operated by the guitar player so that it can be raised orlowered in a vertical plane as well The present invention is animprovement over my US.

Patent 3,248,991, granted on May 3, 1966.

In the above mentioned patent a tremolo device is provided which has amember having cradle means and a. separate floating bridge element ormember, one for each string, for connecting the strings of theinstrument thereto, and this cradle means is so arranged as to havelimited pivotal movement, so that the tension applied to the strings ofthe instrument can be readily varied to produce a tremolo effect. 1

This above mentioned patent further provides a tremolo device with acradle member which carries a plurality of strings provided with meansfor independently adjusting each string eccentrically with respect to.the pivotal movement of the cradle member, so that the throw of eachstring with respect to the pivotal axis of the cradle member isindependent of the throw of the other strings "therefrom. This tremolodevice is further provided with an operating handle so as to pivot thecradle member and to produce the tremolo eifect.

ber, and the means for independently adjusting each string, and with thehandle member, the present invention furtherprovides means for movingthe handle to a position in which the instrument mayhavea flat tonecondition. In the present invention .this handle may be disposed on astop member or a pin member so thatithe handle is maintained in the flattone position without the player having to constantly maintain his handon the handle and hold it in the flat tone condition. I

It is another object of the present invention to provide a handle meansfor a tremolo device in which the handle means can be swung to anotherposition, opposite the position which produces'a flat tone eifect, andin, which position the handle may be held by another stop means so 55.;tr'unnion or upstanding or vertical members 38afiixed to 3,466,962Patented Sept. 16, 1969 ice - device shown in FIGURE 1 and with thehandle means of the present invention embodied therein.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, except that it shows the handledisposed in a fixed or stop position with the handle positioned to emita flat tone condition, as distinguished from the general neutralposition of the strings on the instrument;

FIGURE 4 is a side view partly in section taken along the line 44 ofFIGURE 2 illustrating the handle disposed in its stop or fixed positionwherein the strings emit a sharp tone;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken along the line 55 of FIG- URE 4 alsoillustrating the handle in its fixed or stop position wherein theinstrument emits sharp tone as distinguished from the usual lower tonesof the neutral position of the handle;

FIGURE 6 is a view taken along the line 66 of FIG- URE 3 illustratingthe handle of the instrument disposed in a fixed position on its cammember wherein flat tone are emitted from the instrument;

FIGURE 7 is a view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG- URE 6 alsoillustrating the handle in its flat tone position;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary detail view of the top end of the handleillustrating the very tip thereof; and

FIGURE 9 is also a fragmentary detail view similar to FIGURE 8, exceptthat it shows the underside of the same end or tip of the handle.

Referring to the drawings the reference numeral 10 generally designatesthe body of a guitar having a neck 12 terminating in a head, not shown.Strings 14 connected to the tremolo device 16 are provided which stringsextend over separate and individual floating bridge members or elements18.

The tremolo device 16 is provided with a flat plate member 20 which maybe secured by screws to the top of the guitar sound box.

plate 28. This member 22 is also provided with a flat transverselyextending upper horizontal plate 30 extending between the sides 24 and26. The strings 14 are connected to a connector element by any suitablemeans. The connector elements 32 are in turn connected to a connectorblock and the element 32 and the connector block are journaled onexternally threaded members 34 similar to the members described in myPatent 3,248,991. so that the connector elements and the block may be.moved upwardly and downwardly relative to the U-shaped a member and thehorizontal plates 28 and 30 by turning the threaded members 34.

The 'vertical side walls 24 and 26 of.the U-shaped member are pivotallyjournaled on horizontal axis members or pins 36 which are provided inlaterally spaced opposite sides of plate 20. It will be noted that thepins 36 are disposed adjacent the right end of the upstanding members 38so that the U-shaped member 22 and all of the .members afiixed theretocan be rotated or pivoted ,about a transversely extending horizontalaxis extending between the members 38.

The U-shaped member 22 is normally maintained in its neutral position orin its ordinary playing position when it is not desired to produce atremolo etfect by a plate member 40. The plate member 40 is disposed onone side of the U-shaped member 22 and has a lip 42 which overlaps acorresponding lip extending outwardly from the U-shaped member 22adjacent its lower horizontal plate 28. The lip 42 engages thecorresponding lip on the U-shaped member 22 and a bolt member 44 havinga coil spring 46 thereon biases the plate 40 in a downward position andthe lip 42 so as to maintain the lip 42 in a downward position to holdthe U-shaped memher in its normal playing position.

An elongated operating handle 48 is pivotally connected by a bolt member50 to one side of the U-shaped member 22. The handle 48 is swingable ina clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction about the axis of the boltmember 50 and is further provided with a spacer washer 52 thereon, asbest seen in FIGURE 6 so that the handle may be raised or lowered orswung in an upwardly or downwardly direction. The front end or the tip54 of the handle 48 as best seen in FIGURES 8 and 9 is provided with acut away portion or recess 56 with a slight taper as indicated at 58 ora bevel to guide the handle as hereinafter described. The bevel 58 isprovided on the top side of the tip 54 of the handle while a triangularshaped cut out or notch 60 is provided on the bottom side 62 of thehandle adjacent the tip 54. l

A stop member 64 which is the stop member for the sharp tone conditionof the instrument is provided adjacent one side of the upstanding member38. The stop member 64 is substantially L shaped in side elevation andmay be secured to member 38 by a bolt 66 or other similar means. Thesharp stop member 64 is provided with a horizontally extending slot 68therein, as best seen in FIGURE 7 which is cut on an incline or beveland disposed adjacent the inner side of the stop member 64 to receivethe tip 54 of the handle and so as to enable the corresponding taper orbevel 58 of the tip 54 to easily slide into the slot 68.

During the normal playing operation of the instrument, the handleextends in a direction parallel to the neck 12 of the instrument. Whenit is desired to place the instrument in a sharp condition so that thetone is of a higher pitch, the handle 68 is swung in a clockwisedirection from the position facing the rear of the instrument to theposition shown in FIGURE 2. The handle is also raised so that the tip 54will slide into the slot 68 as best seen in FIGURES 2, 4 and so that itwill be permanently held therein until released by the operator. Thusthe player of the instrument no longer has to maintain pressure on thehandle and to maintain it in a particular position by hand in order toproduce the sharp tone eifect desired.

When it is desired to position the handle of the instrument in a fiattone position, this is accomplished by setting the handle 48 on a cammember 70 which is a pin member disposed in the lug or upstanding member38 adjacent the stop member 64. This cam member 70 provides a stopposition for the handle when it is to be maintained in its fiat toneposition. In order to remove the handle from the position shown inFIGURES 4 and 5 in which it is disposed in its sharp tone condition, toa point or condition where it provides sound of a flat tone nature, thehandle 48 is swung from the position illusr; trated in FIGURE 2 to theposition shown in FIGURE 3.

Thus the handle is raised and moved in a clockwise,

handle operating means in which the handle operating means is furtherprovided with stop mean positions thereon so as to enable the instrumentto emit sounds of a sharp tone or sounds of a fiat tone, asdistinguished from the ordinary sounds emitted therefrom and whichhandle means do not have to be held by the instrument player in thisposition, but in which the handle can be locked into its desiredposition without any further effort on the part of the player.

What is claimed is:

1. A tremolo device for a stringed musical instrument comprisingtrunnion members, a cradle member pivotally connected to said trunnionmembers for pivoting about a substantially horizontal axis, a pluralityof strings having one end connected to said cradle member, a handleoperatively connected to said cradlemember for pivoting it about saidaxis, and stop means for fixing said handle in a sharp tone position atone time and in a flat tone position'at another time, including firststop means for fixing said handle in a sharp tone position and secondstop means for fixing said handle in a fiat tone position.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said trunnion members are spaced apartupstanding members, and said first stop means includes a vertical memberwith slot means and said handle is secured to said cradle means and hasa portion adapted to extend into said slot means.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein spring means are provided to permitraising and lowering of said handle.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said first and second stop meansincludes cam means on one of said trunnion members and notch means areprovided in said handle for camming on said cam means.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein said slot means extends in asubstantially horizontal direction and said handle has a cut backportion adapted to extend into said slotmeans.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said handle cut back portion has abeveled edge.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said trunnion mem- UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,644,360 7/1953 Smith 84-312 2,654,283 10/1953 Barr 84-3122,781,685 2/1957 White et a1 84-312 2,788,694 "4/1957 Dearth 84-3122,949,806 18/1960 Turrnan 84-313 RICHARD, B. WILKINSON, Primary ExaminerL. R. FRANKLIN, Assistant Examiner I 'U.s.c1.x.R.

